What is your string gauge and string height preference....

[Hudman]

I am curious how people prefer their guitars to be set up for fingerstyle playing.

 

I always use light gauge (.012 - .053) strings and adjust my action as low as possible without fret buzz. Therefore, I set the low E at 3/32" and the high E at 2/32" (1/16") at the 12 th fret. I just started taking fingerstyle playing seriously. My current set up works well for me because I use the pads of my fingers and thumb. It would probably be too low if I used thumb and finger picks.

 

You guys might want to avoid Kwak's set up. It makes people cry...(sorry, I couldn't resist)

 

Post your string gauge and action preference. If you can't measure it, go with the standard: low, medium or high.

 

Thanks!

[knockwood]

On my dreads I like 12/54's (referred to both as "medium" [DR] and "light" [Martin] depending on the manufacturer). Action? Low as I can get without buzzing like a great big angry bee hive... and then I push a little more by tuning down slightly to A=427. I like lighter strings on small gits - currently have 11/50 JPs on the Harmony. Action on that baby is in the stratosphere.

[Hudman]

 

Originally posted by knockwood On my dreads I like 12/54's (referred to both as "medium" [DR] and "light" [Martin] depending on the manufacturer). Action? Low as I can get without buzzing like a great big angry bee hive... and then I push a little more by tuning down slightly to A=427. I like lighter strings on small gits - currently have 11/50 JPs on the Harmony. Action on that baby is in the stratosphere.

 

 

11's feel pretty slinky. My daughters Daisy Rock Pixie has them. It's a 25.5" scale guitar. I'm going to try 12's on it at the next string change.

[Freeman Keller]

I'm strictly a fingerstyle player - flesh and nails. I use light gauge strings on all my acoustics including the 12 string, mediums on the two resonators (JP's on the dreads, Nano PB's (gasp!) on the others).

 

When Bryan Kimsey did the resets on my two Martins they came back more playable than almost any guitar I've ever tried and I try to emulate his setup when I do the work. Here are his numbers, quoted from his web site

 

I like to setup acoustic guitars with .004"-.008" of neck relief, as measured by capoing the first fret, holding down the low E at the body, and measuring clearance at the 7th fret. I like the following measurements for 12th fret action:

 

E = .105, A = .100, D = .095, G = .090, B = .085, E = .080

 

A few thousandths one way or the other won't matter much, but the main thing I like to feel is a consistent decrease in action. Many guitars that I work on have a saddle that matches the fretboard radius and this results in a higher D/G action than the rest of the strings. Combined with the increased tension of the D string, this produces a very stiff feeling guitar. I've arrrived at my measurements by measuring a bunch of well-playing guitars, including those of numerous professional flatpickers.

 

At the nut, I like 1st fret clearances of:

 

E = .022", A = .020", D = .018", G = .018", B = .018", E = .016"

 

unquote.

 

For action that works out pretty close to 3/32 low E (0.095) and 5/64 high (.080), about as good as you can do squinting at a machinist rule, but it is so easy to check with feeler gauges.

 

My slide only reso is 5/32 low and high E - with mediums it is like trying to fret the Golden Gate bridge. The classical I used 0.010 relief, Bryan's nut measurements, and set the action at 3.5 mm low E and 2.5 high. All my guitars play buzz free, at least in the hands of someone who can play well. I can also play slide on everything (except the classical).

[JasmineTea]

OM and 000: 12-17-22-30-38-50

The 12 and 17 are consistant with me, the wound strings vary somewhat. Action: If it aint buzzing, it aint low enough.

 

Dread: 12-17-25-32-42-54

This is pretty much rule of thumb. Basically it's a set of Martin lights with a 17 instead of 16. Action: Just a little buzz when I dig in, but not much.

 

I don't have any measuring tools. I get my guitars set up by a very good luthier, he records the specs in his pc. After that I make seasonal adjustments myself by sight, feel, sound.

[kwakatak]

*breaks nail*

 

I like Elixir PB light guages: I think they are .012-.053. I couldn't tell you what my setup specs are though; I just play the friggin' thing.

[Hudman]

Originally posted by kwakatak *breaks nail* I like Elixir PB light guages: I think they are .012-.053. I couldn't tell you what my setup specs are though; I just play the friggin' thing.

 

You might want to try the D'Addario EXP's too. I put a set on my Larri 2 days ago (they came with the guitar) - they are very similiar to the Elixer PM Nanowebs. I think they may be a bit less expensive too.

 

The simple method for determining your string height is by measuring the distance between the 12th fret and the bottom of your low and high E strings. I bet your Kay is pretty high compared to your Tak.

 

Freeman is the man. I strongly advise everyone here to take notes when he gives set up advice. He knows his stuff.

[Gretsch Fan]

I use mediums for the most part and some hybrid bluegrass sets from D'Addario. My Gretsch jumbos are made for medium 12-53 and the others have medium 12-54s. My dread has 13-56 and so does my little Martin. As for action, before I saw the light and became a acoustic fanatic I was on the darkside of electrics so I do like the action low. It fits my method of play without fret buzz.

[DonK]

I guess my answer is gonna be kind of complicated:

 

I think of my OM-size instruments as being primarily for fingerpicking, i.e., my Taylor and my Takamine. I use Martin Custom Light Silk & Steel on the Taylor and John Pearse 510LM Bronze & Silk on the Takamine. The action on each is set "low", as I define it: 6/64" on the low E at the body fret, 5/64" on the high E. That's with a straight neck and almost no relief.

 

I use my D-41 for flatpicking and fingerpicking (but not hard strumming). I use a set of John Pearse 610LM Bronze & Silk (which sound just like any other good light gauge phosphor bronze set to me). Action is 7/64" and 6/64" for the low and high E strings, respectively; minimal relief. My Tacoma DR-20 has the same set-up and gets the same use.

 

My Gallagher is the bluegrass cannon. I use John Pearse Light Gauge Phosphor Bronze 600L strings. The action at the body fret is higher, about 8/64" for the low E, 7/64" for the high E: BUT, this guitar was set up perfectly for bluegrass at the factory, so while the action is high at the body fret, it's low at the nut and average-high the rest of the way down. The neck is dead straight, the way I like all of my necks. I use this guitar for everything from bluegrass strumming and agressive flatpicking with a 2.5mm Wegen pick, to fingerpicking blues.

[Sweb]

For the OM - .010, .012, .018, .026, .036, .046. These are basic Newtone Extra Light PBs.

 

The Dread - .010, .014, .023, .030, .039, .047. These are basic Martin Extra Light PBs.

 

The Classical - Savarez normal tension trebles with hard tension bases.

 

Action: Just short of fretting-out. I also have a luthier who works all my guitars. I take my guitars to him before they make it home from the store.

[min7b5]

I always use Elixir 12 to 53's on the OM, and extra hards on the nylon.

 

I use a new saddle about every ninety days... I just do it by feel, I've never measured the actual height of the action.

[guit30]

10's polyweb elixors

12th fret bass 3/32

12th fret treble 2/32

[kwakatak]

Originally posted by Hudman You might want to try the D'Addario EXP's too. I put a set on my Larri 2 days ago (they came with the guitar) - they are very similiar to the Elixer PM Nanowebs. I think they may be a bit less expensive too. The simple method for determining your string height is by measuring the distance between the 12th fret and the bottom of your low and high E strings. I bet your Kay is pretty high compared to your Tak. Freeman is the man. I strongly advise everyone here to take notes when he gives set up advice. He knows his stuff.

 

I don't know man. I made the mistake of taking my Tak outside today around sundown while grilling some burgers and it was downright chilly out there compared to the temp inside the house. The transition couldn't be good for it. The action isn't that much different than before but the bridge and the area of the top around it ain't looking too good. I'm fearing for the old girl: it may be time for that JLD once and for all.

 

OTOH, the Kay's cardboard top seems to be flat as a pancake, but that may be only the case because there are mounting screws holding the bridge down. There also doesn't seem to be any way to adjust the thing at all. THe thing's so chintzy that there are screws holding the saddle down too. As hard as I try, I can't kill the thing though.

 

Jeez, it scares me to think what would happen if I owned a decent guitar. I've killed so many I'm like Hitler to guitars - guitaricide of epic proportions. Someone stop me before I kill again!